A free lecture on Feb. 15, 2012 at Edward Milne Community School from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., will be followed later by a short course of four, two-hour lectures on Thursday evenings, starting on Feb. 16, which will introduce the attendees to the world of aerodynamics and how it effects our daily lives. Aerodynamics is essentially the “study of air” and how it moves around us or how we move through it.
Aeroplanes, windmills, wind-turbines, water-turbines (hydrodynamics), wind-tunnels, buildings, bridges are all impacted by the “air.”
Topics covered will include: Basic Aerodynamics; the Design and Manufacture of Aircraft; How Aeroplanes Fly; Flight and Ground Testing; Certification of New Aircraft; Flight Operations and Flight Planning, Accident Investigation; Aircraft Maintenance; Supersonic Flight and Industrial Aerodynamics.
One does not have to be an engineer in order to attend and enjoy these lectures which will be given in a non-technical and understandable manner.
Aeronautics Background of Dr. Parvez Kumar
After graduating with an Honours Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College, London, England in 1962, Kumar spent the next 15 years working in the aeronautics sector in industry, academia and government in the U.K., France and Canada.
He started his career in the design office of the de Havilland Aircraft Company, Hatfield, England, and then moved into their aerodynamics office where he found his niche. He worked on civilian and military jets and later, after a period of doing research at the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield, England, went back into industry to work on the design of helicopters.
He was rehired by de Havilland (then taken over by Hawker Siddeley Aviation) as their first Aerodynamics Representative to Aerospatiale, Toulouse, France, working on the original A300 Airbus Project.
Subsequently, he joined the Civil Aviation Authority, UK, in their flight department focussing on the certification of civil aircraft. He participated in the flight testing of a multitude of aircraft varying from biplanes, light aircraft, helicopters, passenger jets, jumbo jets and all the way to the supersonic Concorde.
On emigrating to Canada Kumar was a key team member in the development of Canadair’s CL-600 Business Jet before joining Transport Canada in their airworthiness department in Ottawa. He moved on to Industry Canada where he was the program manager for Airborne Surveillance Systems as part of a multi-national program.
Later NRC recruited him to help establish the Canadian Space Station Programme which allowed him to apply his aeronautical experience towards the challenges of spaceflight.
He is a former pilot flying both gliders and light aircraft in the U.K. and France.
He brings a wealth of hands-on experience in the world of aerodynamics and aviation.